I must admit that I am not a member of the ugly school. I have a great regard for certain notions of beauty even though to some it is an old fashioned idea. Some photographers think that by taking pictures of human misery, they are addressing a serious problem. I do not think that misery is more profound than happiness.
Saul LeiterI have a deep-seated distrust and even contempt for people who are driven by ambition to conquer the world โฆ those who cannot control themselves and produce vast amounts of crap that no one cares about. I find it unattractive. I like the Zen artists: theyโd do some work, and then theyโd stop for a while.
Saul LeiterWhen we do not know why the photographer has taken a picture and when we do not know why we are looking at it, all of a sudden we discover something that we start seeing. I like this confusion.
Saul LeiterI started out as a fashion photographer. One cannot say that I was successful but there was enough work to keep me busy. I collaborated with Harper's Bazaar and other magazines. I was constantly aware that those who hired me would have preferred to work with a star such as Avedon. But it didn't matter. I had work and I made a living. At the same time, I took my own photographs. Strangely enough, I knew exactly what I wanted and what I liked.
Saul Leiter